Between Hong Kong and Australia – Two months on the road!

Between Hong Kong and Australia – Two months on the road!

Hi, my name is Iosto and I’m a 28 years old Italian guy, very keen on travelling. I come from Serramanna, a village in the south of Sardinia, a beautiful island between Italy and Spain. My name originates from the history of this place. I’ve travelled since I was a child in fact, because of sport reasons (international soccer tournaments), I used to spend the summertime abroad. I had the most exciting experience at the age of eight, when I was hosted by a family in Budapest. These types of adventures, while young, are important. They encourage us to grow up without the fear which we would normally experience from being alone and far away from home.

After spending all my life studying (degree in Languages and Communication), working in order to pay for my studies, and doing a lot of sports (soccer, swimming, but also karate), I decided that it was time to leave my home. I reached this decision over a number of years, gradually. The desire to visit new countries, to speak English every day, and the aim to grow up, were crucial in my reasoning when considering undertaking this adventure. It was also imperative that I leave a static and passive society that had a terrible fear of change.

The economic crisis that has begun to evolve throughout Europe, and Italy in particular, contributed to my desire to move elsewhere. Asia and Oceania have always fascinated me. So, my decision to travel to Australia, a booming country, where I could take advantage of a working visa designed for people between the ages of 18 and 30, was made.

It’s been just over two months since I set foot for the first time on Australian soil. Before the departure, I put some clothes and books into my suitcase, but the most important things were in my mind: ideas, motivation, and the desire to get in the game; knowing that, far from home, nothing is obvious, nor simple, nor durable. The speed with which you change houses, friends, and sometimes work, could leave the most determined person in difficulty. For this kind of experience there is no room for those people who don’t wish to step out of their comfort zone. This last element is deeply missed when you decide to leave your family, your habits, and your friends. Some people suffer enormously at this step, whereas others think it’s an exciting challenge, an opportunity to grow, and a lifetime experience. The secret lies in overtaking the mental blocks which otherwise prevent us distancing ourselves from our securities, and enjoying things that life holds for us.

My trip has been characterized by different moments. In these last two months I’ve taken eleven airplanes. The first one was the “Alitalia” flight on the 29th of April which took me from Cagliari, the regional capital of Sardinia, to Rome. From that city I flew with “Qatar Airways”. I stopped over four hours in Doha before arriving in Hong Kong. I had already decided to visit this beautiful city for a period of at least one week, because it has always fascinated me.

After a long flight, spent mainly reading, I finally arrived in Hong Kong. It was then the 30th. The wide spaces that I was used to in Italy, don’t exist in this city. For this reason, I had to share an eight square meter room with another seven people. The hostel was a mirror reflection of the city; packed, but orderly and clean. Thanks to some Chinese guys (among which Xian, a girl from Chengdu) known in Hong Kong, I visited the most significant places in the town. These included The Peak (the promontory where you can overlook the city), and Temple Street (the night market). My journey wouldn’t have been completed without the Star Ferry crossing, which takes people from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon, the mainland. From there I enjoyed the “Symphony of Lights”, a sound, light, and laser show given by Hong Kong Island skyscrapers. Another of Hong Kong’s attractions is “the Escalator”, that is considered the biggest in the world, and links different levels of the city.

Regarding the food, there are restaurants for all tastes, and all budgets. From Chinese to Vietnamese, Japanese, Thai and so on. Of course it couldn’t fail the French and the Italian cuisine. In your spare time you can go to the beach, go shopping, go to the cinema, or simply walk the streets of the city. Hong Kong also has an amazing nightlife, and many expatriates spend the weekend in Lan Kwai Fong, an area famous for its restaurants, bars and clubs.

There is a lot of interest in reading and culture. In fact many people decide to pass their spare time in the libraries. Streets as restaurants, squares and shopping malls, are always crowded, but you can relax in one of the city parks and gardens. In fact, in Hong Kong there is plenty of green spaces where you can take a break from the city noise. One of these is the Hong Kong Park, where it’s possible to take pictures of many different species of birds, tropical plants and flowers.

I keep Hong Kong in my heart. It’s a chaotic and frenetic city, but at the same time, well organized. Accommodation is very expensive, whereas transport is cheap and punctual. You can move easily and very fast by metro.

The fifth of May I left Hong Kong to reach Australia, catching a “Philippine Airlines” flight with double stopover, the first one in Manila and the second one in Darwin. The day after I finally arrived in Brisbane, the Queensland capital, the State that faces the Pacific Ocean.

Upon arrival, I took the train linking the airport to the city centre. From there I walked to the hostel that hosted me during my first week down-under. My accommodation was in a quiet location, just as I wished. It was the right place to get a complete picture of the situation, and to organize my first months. Brisbane is a very quiet city. Although it has about two million people, I had the impression that I was living in a small town. Ample spaces, wide streets, and a luxuriant vegetation, give it a feeling of serenity and calmness. The difference with Hong Kong is clear. The frenzy of the Chinese city is only a memory now, but it still lingers.

Whilst in Brisbane I met up with some Korean guys that I had contacted earlier, before leaving Sardinia, through a travel social network. They took me to many places, and with them I visited some good restaurants and many Irish bars which are very common in this city.

In that week I decided to follow Xian’s advise and visit the academic campus at the Queensland University of Technology. Surrounded by the beautiful Botanic Gardens, the campus is a quiet place, where students strike up in a positive mood. The centre of Brisbane is not very wide and you can easily walk around it, especially in this season, the Autumn, when temperatures are not high.

One of the most characteristic places in Brisbane is, with any doubt, Southbank, an area situated along the Brisbane River, that passes through the city. It’s a perfect place for everyone who wants to relax whilst walking through the parks or using the trails for cyclists and pedestrians. There you can enjoy the Nepal Peace Pagoda and the Streets Beach, an artificial beach where your children can play, and where you can read a good book under the shade of a tropical tree.

After seven days, it was time to leave Brisbane. Once I said goodbye to my Korean friends, and to an Australian family (with Italian roots) that I had met, I went to Melbourne, the most European city in Australia and the state capital of Victoria. There, some friends hosted me for a while, just till I completed all necessary procedures to stay in Australia. This time I took a “Qantas” flight, the Australian airline company. From the Melbourne Tullamarine airport I took the SkyBus, that, with 18 dollars, in twenty minutes brought me to the city. Once I arrived at my destination, I met Gianluca, a Sardinian friend that had been living in Melbourne since February. The apartment was situated in Docklands, a Melbourne suburb, linked with the centre by public transport such as the City Circle, a free tram that works from 8 am to 6 pm.

Since my first day in Australia, I had been noticing the multiculturalism of this big country, but it was only when I arrived in this last city that I understood how much work had been done over the years to support the integration in the kangaroos’ land. In this “little London”, it’s hard to distinguish Australians from strangers. Asian somatic traits are very common among people on the streets, and there are also Indian, Greek and Italian communities. Most of them have been living in Australia for generations, and this is the reason that they are so well integrated into Australian society.

Melbourne is a fast-paced place, more so than Brisbane, but not as much as Hong Kong. In addition to the lifestyle, these cities also experience different weather. The winter in Melbourne is very cold, and even though it rarely snows, you don’t frequently enjoy a sunny day between May and September. Despite that, parks and squares are always full of people and outdoor sport is very common. Probably, you can see more cyclists and pedestrians than drivers. From this fact, I came to understand how much Australian people care about having a healthy lifestyle.

When it comes to food, in Melbourne it’s possible to eat everything, and Italian cuisine addicts can book a table in Lygon Street, a sort of “Little Italy”, situated in the north of the city. Australia is very liveable for everyone who works in it. In fact, although rent and food are expensive, salaries are very high. Like in Hong Kong, libraries are always crowded by many students. The State Library of Victoria, situated in the city centre, is the ideal place where you can study or surf in one of the many internet access points. To sum up, this city is amazing and very enjoyable, and I guess that during the spring time it’s even better.

After six weeks in Melbourne, I decided to go back to Hong Kong for a week. My first aim was to know the city better, but I have to say, that I couldn’t wait to again see all those friends that I had met two months before. This time I chose “Malaysia Airlines” with which I made a stopover in Kuala Lumpur. Unfortunately, both outward and return flights were delayed, and the result was that the delivery of my suitcase was postponed. Despite these setbacks, the week went ahead very well. I was happy to see my friends and to make new friendships. The feeling of being in the centre of the world is very common among everyone who has visited this place, and the desire to stay there longer was strong.

After this short holiday in Hong Kong, I returned to Melbourne where I spent the next few days with my flatmates before leaving them, maybe forever. For me, it was time to move again in order to start a new adventure. In fact, I decided to stay for a short period close to Coffs Harbour, a small town halfway between Sydney and Brisbane. There, John and his family were waiting for me, and with them, a job on their farm. I now have the possibility to experience a new lifestyle and, finally, to sleep in a bed; no more sofa. For the next two weeks this will be my home whilst planning my next destination.